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World Instrument Gallery

Violin

A chordophone refers to a class of musical instruments wherein a stretched vibrating string creates the initial sound (Sandys & Forster, 2006). A musical instrument that falls in this category is the violin. A violin is a stringed instrument that generally has the appearance of a small guitar. When it is played, it is often placed on a musician’s shoulder and a bow is drawn across the strings. The four strings of the violin are; the G-string, D-string, A-string, and E-string.

The first violin is believed to have been made in the 16^th Century in Italy during the Renaissance period (Sandys & Forster, 2006). It is believed to be an evolution from earlier bowed instruments. The earliest makers of the violin are; Andrea Amati, Gasparo da Salò, and Giovanni Paolo Maggini (Sandys & Forster, 2006). The violin has undergone numerous other modifications overtime so as to suite its evolving musical functions (Sandys & Forster, 2006). Today’s violin produces versatile sounds and it is able to evoke almost any emotion.

The earliest violins were used for dance and popular music (Sandys & Forster, 2006). However the musical context in which the violin is played has grown to be more diverse. The violin is often played in the context of popular music, in live performances, in orchestras, as well as in solo performances. It is played during various occasions such as during presidential inaugurations, Olympic games, talent occasions in schools, funerals, among many other set ups (Marshall, 1985). Essentially, as noted above, the violin is capable of evoking almost any emotion and because of this, it is used for versatile purposes and in various musical contexts.

The use of the violin is mainly found in the English or European culture. From the point of its discovery it is apparent that it developed from earlier bowed instruments and its earliest makers were Italians (Sandys & Forster, 2006). About two centuries from the time it was created, its usage had spread to various parts of Europe. During the 17^th century, for instance, various popular musicians sought to give the violin prominence in their orchestras (Sandys & Forster, 2006). This practice has grown and continued in Europe up to today. The use of the violin is, therefore, mainly found in the European culture.

A cursory look of various pictures of violinists that were drawn during the 17^th or 18^th Century illustrates that the violin was traditionally played by both, men and women. However, it is important to note that it was predominantly played by men. This was predominantly as a result of various social factors. For instance, during the early 1800’s “women were not allowed to perform in public and were severely limited in their musical training” (Baker, 2012, p. 3). Similarly, “towards the end of the 19th century, it became more acceptable for women to study violin and cello, but they were forbidden to play in professional orchestras” (Baker, 2012, p. 3). Essentially, the violin has traditionally been played by men because of various societal beliefs and conventions that served to limit the involvement of women in orchestras and public performances. It is, however, important to note that societal beliefs and conventions have changed overtime and the violin is now traditionally played by both women and men. Children also play the violin as apprentices. Figure 1 below shows a photo of the violin.

Figure 1. : Violin by Henry Jay in Wind Mill Street near Piccadilly London, 1768

Retrieved from; https://www.ram.ac.uk/museum/collections/collections-highlights/instrument-collections/becket-collection

Piano

An electrophone refers to any musical instrument that produces sound by electrical means (Davies, 1985).A musical instrument that falls in this category is the piano. The piano can be described as a keyboard instrument that produces sounds through the striking of tuned strings. The strings beneath the keyboards have been given different distinctive tunes and chords. The musician hammers the keyboards systematically with his fingers to produce structured sounds that in combination make up the piano music.

Just like the violin, the piano was first invented in Italy. A musician named Bartolomeo Cristofori sought to create a harpsichord that could play various dynamic levels and towards this end he created an instrument which activates a hammer when pressed and this hammer consequently strikes the strings to produce sounds sought (Davies, 1985). This instrument came to be referred to as a piano. It essentially was developed from the stringed instruments through the affixation of the keyboards on the strings (Davies, 1985). From this point of departure, the keyboard has continued to develop and evolve.

The piano is said to have come to prominence during the classical period (Vorachek, 2000). This was fundamentally an era of musical history and it lasted from mid-18^th Century to early 19^th century (Vorachek, 2000). During this time, the piano was used both as a basic home entertainment system and as a popular musical instrument used in orchestras. Essentially, the musical context in which it could be found was versatile. This has remained the case up to the current age. The musical context in which the violin is played is versatile.

The piano is found in the English and European music cultures as illustrated on the brief history above. This is because the piano was first invented therein. During the 19^th Century, for instance, it was used as a domestic entertainment tool in many middle-class British households (Vorachek, 2000). It was used in Europe both as a domestic instrument and for the purpose of popular music entertainment. Over the past two centuries, however, the use of the piano has spread to various parts of the world. It is in this regard widely used for the purpose of social entertainment. It is also largely used to compliment vocal music in various contexts.

From the onset, the Piano was played by both men and women. However, in the turn of the 19^th Century, it is believed that the instrument was mainly played by women. The middle-class young girl in Britain got training on playing the Piano because “it was believed to provide discipline, diversion, and a skill that would help her attract a husband” (Vorachek, 2000, p. 26). In the turn of the 20^th Century, the piano was played by both men and women. Just as it has been illustrated above with respect to the 19^th Century, the instrument is also played by children. Figure 2 below shows a photo of the piano.

Figure 2: University of Victoria. “Yamaha Silent Piano” (2018)

Retrieved from; https://www.uvic.ca/library/locations/home/media/silent%20piano/index.php

Trumpet

An aerophone is a musical instrument that produces sound mainly through the vibration of a body of air (Koehler, 2015). A musical instrument that falls in this category is the trumpet. A trumpet is a brass instrument that is played when a person causes the vibration of air. Materials used in the manufacture of trumpets include; silver, ivory, copper, horn, or even wood (Koehler, 2015). In the contemporary world, it is used for jazz and classical ensembles.

During the commencement of the medieval period, the trumpet was used as a communication tool in ancient Egypt and Greece (Koehler, 2015). It was also used in various regions as a signaling device during battle. In the turn of the 14^th Century, however, the trumpet started being used as music instrument. Today, the trumpet has come to be heard in all kinds of music styles. It is, however, primarily used for jazz and classical ensembles.

The trumpet is mostly found in the English and European music cultures as illustrated on the brief history above. This is because its usage was mainly commenced in these regions as illustrated above. In the turn of the 20^th Century, however, the instrument came to be widely played by African Americans through jazz music (Barnhart, 2005). Although jazz was played through the use of many instruments, the predominant instrument that was used was the trumpet. The trumpet is now contemporarily associated with jazz music. The trumpet is, therefore, often played in the context of classical or jazz music.

The trumpet is mainly played by men. In orchestras, for instance, the brass section usually has more men than women. The same gender variation also applies with respect to boys and girls. Upon being provided with a choice between a trumpet and a flute, boys often choose the former while girls choose the latter. In this regard, the trumpet is often played by men and boys. Figure 3 below shows a photo of the trumpet.

Figure 3: Dave Douglas (2006).

Retrieved from; https://www.popmatters.com/jazz-today-a-tale-of-two-trumpets-2495457207.html

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